Such flanges or escutcheons will now be described with reference to plumbing needs as an example.
Pipes used in plumbing applications come in a variety of types and have different wall thicknesses depending on the manufacturer, the requirements of the particular application and/or the industry involved.
Common types of pipes used are copper, polybutylene or polymers of butylene, PEX pipe (white) such as cross-linked polyethylene, PVC (poly vinyl chloride), multi-layer composite aluminium, galvanised metals, stainless steels.
The purpose of a wall flange or escutcheon is to provide an aesthetic cover for the area where a pipe protrudes through a wall.
Wall flanges or escutcheons are produced in a number of standard sizes to cater for the current range of standard pipe types and diameters. Typically, wall flanges or escutcheons are manufactured for use on common sizes normally referred to by their approximate inside diameter.
Because of the different materials used, wall thicknesses and different pressure ratings, the outside diameter of the pipes will vary depending on the product. For example ½ inch pipes may have an outside diameter of anywhere between 0.57 inches (1.45 cm) and 0.85 inches (2.16 cm), while ¾ inch pipes will typically have a diameter of between 0.83 inches (2.11 cm) and 1.06 inches (2.69 cm).
Existing wall flanges or escutcheons are usually made from a plastic which has very little flexibility and cannot be stretched to fit a larger pipe. If the flange is stretched over a pipe it will tend to warp and buckle and will not sit flat against the wall.
A split flange product as shown in FIG. 1 can flex to accommodate a very small increase in outside diameter. However, if the increase in outside diameter is more than this, it will cause the flange to buckle and/or split open. The join created where the ends of the flange meet also leaves a line which is not aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Because current wall flanges in the market are not made of material that is particularly flexible, and are instead manufactured to fit particular pipe sizes, it means that installers are forced to stock a number of flanges of differing sizes to ensure that when they are called to a job they can use the flange that is the correct size.
Pipes used for soil, waste, ducting, electrical and other similar applications often require pipes with larger diameters than other more general applications. Common sizes for such pipes are 1 inch, 1¼ inch, 1½ inch, 2 inch, 2½ inch, 3 inch, 4 inch and 6 inch. All of these sizes must be stocked too.
The thickness and outside diameter of some pipes can still vary, which means that even if the installer has a flange for the right generic pipe size, it may not fit properly. It can also be difficult to tell the difference between the different sized flanges by a quick visual inspection which can cause confusion during installation.
Because the fit of the prior art escutcheons cannot be guaranteed it is common practice to secure them by applying adhesive to the wall around the outer diameter of the pipe prior as an additional step in installation.
It is therefore an object or aspect of the present invention to provide an escutcheon or flange which will go at least some way towards offering an alternative answer to that currently offered or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.